The interplay of institution and family caregiving: relations between patient hassles, nursing home hassles and caregivers' burnout.

This population-based study investigated the relationship between stresses (hassles) and burnout for 30 family caregivers and their institutionalized demented elderly. The Burnout Measure, the Patient Hassles Scales and the Nursing Home Hassles Scale were used. Hassles included: patient hassles (cognitive, behavior, basic ADL) and nursing home hassles (caregiver - staff, patient - staff, practical/logistical). The caregiver's characteristics are described in relation to burnout and the caregiver's most frequent hassles are discussed. All subscales except basic ADL were correlated to burnout. However, regression analysis showed the nursing home hassles to be the most important stresses explaining variance in burnout among family caregivers. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.